New Brunswick offers authentic, inspiring cultural experiences

At the Festival Acadien de Caraquet, you can get off the beaten track and experience local culture and history. (New Brunswick Tourism)

Take a step back in time in New Brunswick this summer, as you immerse yourself in a unique cultural experience.

“There are all kinds of places where you can get off the beaten track and experience the local culture and history of our communities — like Caraquet, or St. Andrews By-The-Sea, or Alma,” says Trevor Holder, New Brunswick’s Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture. “There are small historical towns with their own flavour, where you can really get close to nature.”

One of the biggest events this summer will be the Congrès mondial acadien (World Acadian Congress), which is being hosted by New Brunswick, Quebec, and Maine from August 8-24. The celebration will include more than 125 family gatherings, 200 community activities, and 50 heritage and outdoor projects across the territory.

“This is a really unique part of North America where we’ll all just come together in one place to showcase the culture,” says Holder.

New Brunswick has partnered with Maine on a “Two Nation Vacation” that encourages people to explore both regions, and Holder says it’s been a popular collaboration between the two countries.

“We have an amazing product where people can come to our part of the world and experience both countries all as one package,” explains Holder. “There’s something really exciting about crossing a border, and I’m always hearing about people traveling through the States who cross into Canada so they can say ‘I’ve experienced Canada.’”

The experiences include eating fresh lobster on both sides of the border, checking out different hiking, biking, and kayaking spots, and visiting museums, parks, and historic sites.

But Holder says there’s no place where that seems to come together more than Campobello Island — where President Roosevelt and his family used to summer. The 34-room residence is the centerpiece of Roosevelt Campobello International Park, which is the only park in the world owned by people of two different countries. Visitors can enjoy “Tea with Eleanor” daily at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., as well as learn more about the family’s life.

“I can’t think of another place along the Canada/U.S. border where people move back and forth so freely on a daily basis — and even work and live on different sides,” says Holder. “There’s a real feeling of friendship and international cooperation.”

Holder says New Brunswick remains a beloved summer destination for people all over the world because of its authentic experiences — and its ability to help people unwind and savour their vacation.

“More than anything else, if you want a little vacation where you can slow down, there are a lot of places in New Brunswick that can accommodate that,” says Holder. “We have so many little communities that are just oozing history and culture.”

“You can sit back, relax, and feel like you’re in a place that has something to say to you.”

For more information on things to see and do in New Brunswick this summer, please visit www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca.